Conveyor chain



July 7, 1959 H. FREEMAN 2,893,546

- CONVEYOR CHAIN Filed Nov. 16, 1956 INVENTQR. HARRY FREEMAN ATTOBLJEXS United States Patent CONVEYOR CHAIN Harry Freeman, Providence, R.I. Application November 16, 1956, Serial No. 622,641 2 Claims. (Cl. 198-177) This invention relates to a conveyor chain and particularly a flexible type conveyor chain which is adapted to travel through an endless tubular track. Tracks in which the conveyor chain in the instant invention operate are well known in the art and broadly consist of a rectangular channel having a central opening at the bottom thereof so that work supporting pendants may extend therethrough. The chains that travel through these tracks take various forms and in general consist of at least vertically disposed wheels which contact the bottom of the track on either side of the central opening therein and horizontally disposed wheels that maintain the chain in a central position.

It is a particular object of this invention to improve upon the physical chain construction which mounts the vertical and horizontal wheels that contact the bottom and sides of the track.

A further object of the invention is to provide an assembly which will reduce the radius of curvature around which the chain will travel in a chain of the type described.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of a flexible coupling which will tend to reduce the stresses between the individual links.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide an assembly of a link which is very inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view partially in section of a portion of a conveyor track showing the chain of the instant invention traversing a curve;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a link section;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a link section connector; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating two link sections connected together, showing the wheel axle in detached form.

In referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal section looking downwardly in which designates generally a conveyor track which may be supported in any appropriate manner and which is provided with a central opening 11 in the bottom wall thereof. Within this track there is supported a flexible chain which comprises a plurality of link sections generally designated 12 connected together by a connector generally designated 13. Each of the link sections 12 consists of a main body portion 14 which may be cylindrical and which is provided at three spaced location with bores 15, 16 and 17 that extend along parallel axes generally on the same plane. As shown in Figure 2 the bores 15, 16 and 17 have been "ice provided in cylindrical extension pieces 18, 19 and 20 which have been cast integral with the main body portion 14. The particular form illustrated in Figure 2 has been adhered to to reduce the weight of the links, but it will be readily understood that the entire body may consist of a solid rectangular piece in which three spaced bores have been provided for a purpose to be presently described.

The center bore 16 is adapted to receive a pintle 21 which forms a wheel axle and receives suitably formed wheels 22 at either end thereof, the wheels being retained on the pintle by snap rings 23. A generally U-shaped sec tion 30 is provided with two ears 31, 31' which have aligned apertures 32 therethrough. The ears 31, 31' extend on either side of the extension pieces 18 and 20 so that apertures 32 align with the bores 15 and 17. Pins 33 are then received through the apertures 32 and the bores 15, 17 and are retained in position by snap rings 34. The bight 35 of the connector 30 is adapted to receive a similar bight of another connector as illustrated in Figure 4. When assembled in this relation with another connector such as 30A, which is secured to an adjacent link 14A, a basic assembly is formed of two links.

It will be understood that wheel axles are received in the central bores 16 of each of the links; and when assembled in the relation shown in Figure 4, the wheel axles of adjacent link sections are disposed at substantially right angles to each other. This therefore provides a pair of wheels vertically disposed and a pair of wheels horizontally disposed with respect to the track 10.

It will be apparent from examining Figure 1 that the loose connection formed by the connectors 30 aids in allowing the chain to follow a tight curve. To this end the bights 35 of the connectors rather than extending in face to face engagement have become pivoted one to the other as at 40, thus preventing any binding of the chain links within the track. Additionally, the loose connection prevents stress transmission along the chain and is therefore a superior joint.

I claim:

1. A conveyor chain comprising a plurality of link sections, each of said link sections having a body portion with a wheel axle disposed thereon substantially midway of the longitudinal extent thereof, wheels rotatably mounted on said axle, pivot means disposed at each end of said body portion on axes parallel to said wheel axle, a connector positioned between adjacent sections, said connector comprising two U-shaped elements with flat face bight and ear portions, said ear portions having bearing openings therein, the bight portions of each element being normally in face engaging relation, said pivot means engaging said bearing openings whereby said connector pieces have a limited amount of movemerit freedom therebetween, the bight portions thereof separating to give additional bending freedom between sections in two axes.

2. A conveyor chain as in claim 1 wherein the body portion is provided with a bore at each end thereof on axes parallel to the axis of the wheel axle, said bores receiving pins that engage the openings in the ear portion of the connector.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 993,313 Merz May 23, 1911 1,000,107 Morris Aug. 8, 1911 2,490,682 Freeman Dec. 6, 1949 

